The need to 'get' better, evolve and achieve are inherent within us. As we evolve in our own practice we can't help but have a look at the people around us. This happens all the time in yoga classes. We move into a particular posture and what do you know, we aren't able to express the full posture like student X is doing next to us. This feeds our ego and the need to go beyond what we're capable of is increased. This could lead to injury if your physically body is not ready. Instead of letting the ego creep up on us, consciously notice where You are in the pose and say "Right, this IS where I AM and I can choose to GROW from here. I will work FROM where it IS that I AM." The more we extend, the more we open up and detach from the ego even if it's for a few breaths. For the yogis. Notice especially during a simple posture such as paschimottanasana. Some of us may be able to put our forehead on our shins. But at what expense? Does the posture end there? I received a beautiful reminder once again in class last week. By focusing our drishti ahead and at our toes, this allows for greater extension in the spine. Of course you can round your back and place your head on your shins and continue breathing, but it's when we're extending that we're opening up to the world and growing from within. We have a choice. This deep and subtle insight has uplifted my practice once again. Although I've had very similar ones before, sometimes we hear the same thing again but this time it sinks in differently. You might understand what that same message you had heard many times before now means. You perceive it differently. It suddenly clicks. You feel it's impact. As B.K.S Iyengar would say: "If you know the extension and expansion of the body, you know the extension and expansion of the mind."
Komentarze